Nothing tastes better than kernals bursting with juicy sweetness harvested right out of the garden. Sweet corn has been a part of American diets for centuries. Many home gardeners like to grow this vegetable, because almost everyone loves to eat the corn right off the cob. If you have young kids that hate to eat vegetables, try letting them eat this instead. Food just naturally tastes better when you can pick it up and eat it with your hands. It is a delicious way to get young kids to eat a serving of vegetables.
Three Elements to Growing Sweet Corn
In order to grow sweet corn in your garden, you’ll need to ensure that your garden site has at least three things.
First make sure you have the extra space. Sweet corn needs plenty of room to grow, because you need to plant four rows or more. This way, the corn will have better pollination. The extra space that the corn takes up to grow will not go to waste. Many people plant their squash in the same area. To plant the necessary four rows of corn, plan on using an area that is 6 feet across and 12 feet long.
Second, your sweet corn needs plenty of sun. Find an area that provides full sun exposure. Think of the fields of corn and how they grow out in the open.
Third, your sweet corn needs water.
Preparing the Garden Area
Prepare your garden area. Till the area with a tiller or use a garden fork to turn the soil. If you live in farming country, ask one of the local farmers if you can have some manure. Manure is a natural fertilizer that provides the nutrients that sweet corn needs. Place about a 1/ 2 to 1 inch of manure over the soil. Also, amend the soil with 3 to 4 inches of compost. Work this thoroughly into the soil. Level and smooth the surface of the soil with your rake.
Sweet corn is planted in the middle of May when all danger of frost is past. The soil temperature should be above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If you plant the corn too early, the seeds won’t germinate. There is the chance that they will rot in the ground.
Planting the Corn
Mark your first row to ensure it is straight, using two sticks with a piece of twine attached. Across the first and each consecutive row, plant one corn seed every 6 inches. Push the seed into the soil with your finger or you can use a dibble stick. The seed should be an inch below ground level. Cover the seed with soil and firm it gently in place.
Stake out your next row using the sticks and twine method. Each row should have 2.5 to 3 feet between them. Continue to plant the seeds in the rows until you have at least 4 rows planted.
Water the Corn
Water the corn seeds. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy until the seeds germinate. It can take two to three weeks for the seeds to sprout. When the sweet corn is growing, provide at least an inch of water per week.
To help conserve moisture, add 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch over the ground. The mulch also helps keep weeds from growing and that means less weeding for you. Toward the first part of August the sweet corn should have formed ears and is ready for harvesting. For best flavor, pick the corn right before you plan on cooking it.
Sources:
“Small Scale Grain Raising;” Gene Logsdon; 2009